I'm noticing that college counsellours seem to be an in-demand position at many schools. The thought of advising strictly for college is an appealing one and one I'd like to pursue in the future. What universities/colleges run the best programs, and are any correspondence/online courses that I could complete once I'm established back overseas? In Canada the trend tends to be more towards counsellours advising students on emotional/family issues, rather than college or university placement.
I hope that doesn't sound cold!
Thanks!!
College Counsellour
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jbiersteker
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 10:38 am
Yeah, I felt a little guilty about making that comment, but I think there are better people than me for helping kids get through the hard parts of life. I'm not above doing such work, but would like to focus on college acceptances instead. I don't know how people can do both jobs well. They demand quite different skills, but in Canada you have to wear both hats, and I think in the public system its the college/university part that suffers!
Thanks!!
Thanks!!
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eion_padraig
- Posts: 408
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 8:18 pm
So other than a couple of certificate programs out there at universities (UCLA, I think Berkeley has one too), that teach some basics about mostly US university admission and financial aid, there are not degree programs out there (so far as I know; I'd be surprised to hear of one). UCLA's is online, but I don't know about others. These tend to spawn independent college counselors who freelance with students and families more often than people working in schools. What I've heard about UCLA's program is that it does a good job at basics. I would argue one of the biggest weaknesses of school counselor training programs is the lack of discussion of college admission as a topic. The professional counseling associations in the US (ASCA, ASA) have made no push to include the topic.
As a result, most college counselors get their start from working in university admissions and/or working in independent schools. Those working in indepedent schools ususally either come from university admissions, start as teachers (often English or history) who get trained by other college counselors, or have backgrounds in school counseling. These folks spend a fair amount of time visiting university campuses and making contacts with admissions representatives. The various ACAC conferences (Association of College Admission Counselors), both national and regional conferences are good places to make contacts and do professional development.
I've seen the growth in college counseling positions in international schools and I suspect it is for two reasons. Mind you this is a theory. One is some of the heads come from US indepedent schools where this is the norm. I would also guess head of schools are having a harder time finding school counselors who know much about college admission. At least in the US, public school counselors are given little time and less funding to visit colleges and attend professional conferences related to admission. That coupled with the fact that new counselors are not educated about college admission is responsible for that trend. I think over the long run a lot of international schools will go to the US independent school model, but in the shorter term school counselors with knowledge of university admission will have better opportunities for high school counseling jobs.
The main issue that these folks face when they go to international schools from a non-international school is that they need to learn multiple countries' systems of higher education. College counselors who know US admission, UCAS in the UK, Canadian universities, Australian universities, Europeon universities, Korean universities (at the very least SKY), Hong Kong, etc, are going to be the best equipped to help diverse international populations. I've seen some schools hire specifically for UCAS/UK or US/North American expertise. I would argue that the US system is the most complicated because of the public/private split and having 50 different states with different public university systems. After the US, the UK system strikes me as the most complicated. Canada only has public universities (well, there is Quest in BC) and the government does a much better job of keeping things uniform. Australia's system is also easy to understand because of the uniformity of it.
So the problem is if you want to be a college counselor, there isn't one particular pathway for it. There are some training programs aimed mostly at folks going to work at US independent schools, which would be useful, though not necessarily recognized by international schools. A few that I know of Taft Education Center (summer training, they also do AP workshops), several of the ACAC regional associations do training for new college counselors, and ACCIS (but I think your school needs to be a member). There are probably other places too.
Anyway, these are some of my thoughts. I hope they're helpful.
As a result, most college counselors get their start from working in university admissions and/or working in independent schools. Those working in indepedent schools ususally either come from university admissions, start as teachers (often English or history) who get trained by other college counselors, or have backgrounds in school counseling. These folks spend a fair amount of time visiting university campuses and making contacts with admissions representatives. The various ACAC conferences (Association of College Admission Counselors), both national and regional conferences are good places to make contacts and do professional development.
I've seen the growth in college counseling positions in international schools and I suspect it is for two reasons. Mind you this is a theory. One is some of the heads come from US indepedent schools where this is the norm. I would also guess head of schools are having a harder time finding school counselors who know much about college admission. At least in the US, public school counselors are given little time and less funding to visit colleges and attend professional conferences related to admission. That coupled with the fact that new counselors are not educated about college admission is responsible for that trend. I think over the long run a lot of international schools will go to the US independent school model, but in the shorter term school counselors with knowledge of university admission will have better opportunities for high school counseling jobs.
The main issue that these folks face when they go to international schools from a non-international school is that they need to learn multiple countries' systems of higher education. College counselors who know US admission, UCAS in the UK, Canadian universities, Australian universities, Europeon universities, Korean universities (at the very least SKY), Hong Kong, etc, are going to be the best equipped to help diverse international populations. I've seen some schools hire specifically for UCAS/UK or US/North American expertise. I would argue that the US system is the most complicated because of the public/private split and having 50 different states with different public university systems. After the US, the UK system strikes me as the most complicated. Canada only has public universities (well, there is Quest in BC) and the government does a much better job of keeping things uniform. Australia's system is also easy to understand because of the uniformity of it.
So the problem is if you want to be a college counselor, there isn't one particular pathway for it. There are some training programs aimed mostly at folks going to work at US independent schools, which would be useful, though not necessarily recognized by international schools. A few that I know of Taft Education Center (summer training, they also do AP workshops), several of the ACAC regional associations do training for new college counselors, and ACCIS (but I think your school needs to be a member). There are probably other places too.
Anyway, these are some of my thoughts. I hope they're helpful.
Reply
Its the same way in the US region as well, the focus of college counselors is on the mental health aspect of the job.
What you want to do is find a certification program where you can either get work study or an assistantship in the university admissions office. Thats the best preparation you can get if going and looking into being a college advisor. The counselor certificate just makes you legal, but I know number of techers with such experience and a masters degree who werent even certified as counselors and got college advising positions based on their experience. It would make you much more desirable and marketable if you could work at an Ivy university as well.
Most schools have a "focus" in that their students go to American or European universities. So while you do need to have knowledge of the minority your experience in the majority preference is going to make you more marketable.
What you want to do is find a certification program where you can either get work study or an assistantship in the university admissions office. Thats the best preparation you can get if going and looking into being a college advisor. The counselor certificate just makes you legal, but I know number of techers with such experience and a masters degree who werent even certified as counselors and got college advising positions based on their experience. It would make you much more desirable and marketable if you could work at an Ivy university as well.
Most schools have a "focus" in that their students go to American or European universities. So while you do need to have knowledge of the minority your experience in the majority preference is going to make you more marketable.